In large scale computing systems, it is often necessary to provide an operator with detailed information regarding the status of mass storage devices. In order to provide such functionality, many storage solutions utilize a storage backplane that interfaces with a host bus adapter (“HBA”) and that directly mates with one or more mass storage devices. A storage backplane may include an integrated enclosure management device, which provides facilities for generating visual indicators regarding the status of connected mass storage devices. For instance, in some solutions, an enclosure management device on a storage backplane may drive individual light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) for displaying information regarding the activity of each of the mass storage devices connected to the storage backplane.
Computer system vendors frequently design and manufacture storage backplanes that are customized for particular configurations. One reason for this is that although Serial Attached Small Computer Systems interface (“SAS”) mass storage devices and Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (“SATA”) mass storage devices utilize the same physical connectors to interface with a storage backplane, signals regarding the activity status of the devices is obtained in two different ways. When SAS mass storage devices are utilized, for instance, drive activity data is typically obtained by the backplane via a Serial General Purpose Input/Output (“SGPIO”) interface. When SATA drives are utilized, drive activity data is obtained directly from the mass storage device itself.
Another factor that complicates the design and manufacture of storage backplanes is the fact that the SAS-2 Specification defines two interface ports for each mass storage device. This provides redundancy and allows two SAS initiators to be connected to a single mass storage device. In such an implementation, two SGPIO interfaces are also available. As a result, depending upon the type of mass storage devices utilized, there are at least three possible sources for obtaining information regarding the activity status of the devices: two or more SGPIO interfaces and the drive activity data provided by the mass storage devices themselves. Similar problems are encountered when data regarding the failure, location, and rebuild status of mass storage devices is provided on multiple interfaces. It is, however, complex and expensive for a computer system vendor to design, manufacture, and distribute a different storage backplane implementation for each possible type of mass storage device and interface that may be utilized to provide drive activity information.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure presented herein is made.